tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post2701390594538946936..comments2024-03-15T04:08:16.172-04:00Comments on Only the Cinema: The LawlessEd Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-66635565923702267902012-03-15T14:37:04.318-04:002012-03-15T14:37:04.318-04:00That's great news, Drew! Hopefully that'll...That's great news, Drew! Hopefully that'll bring some attention to this overlooked but very worthy early Losey.Ed Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-10386198557840980572012-03-15T13:24:44.634-04:002012-03-15T13:24:44.634-04:00Just to let Sam and others know, Olive Films recen...Just to let Sam and others know, Olive Films recently acquired the rights to this one, and while there's not a release date set yet we should hopefully be looking at a very nice (all their releases have been) edition coming at some point on at least DVD.<br /><br />I think it's a pretty brilliant film. The more I dig into Losey's Hollywood stuff, the more I become convinced that it Drew McIntoshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07054307044280470117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-18439470486558335302012-03-15T11:00:29.801-04:002012-03-15T11:00:29.801-04:00I like his M a lot, too, David, I'll be postin...I like his <i>M</i> a lot, too, David, I'll be posting about both that one and <i>The Big Night</i> in the next month or two. He had a great 1951, made even more remarkable by the fact that he must've known HUAC was closing in and he'd soon be out of there.Ed Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-30781057909238769502012-03-15T10:55:15.506-04:002012-03-15T10:55:15.506-04:00Losey's directorial skill became apparent raht...Losey's directorial skill became apparent rahter quickly. After this as you point out came <i>The Prowler</i> (a cleaver low-rent <i>Double Indemnity</i> variation) and then his brilliant and unaccountably overlooked remake of <i>M</i>. He finishes it all off with <i>The Big Night</i> -- made while he was packign his bags for the UK.<br /><br />The mind boggles of what he might have made of <DavidEhrensteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11016905507543736049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-49105456622844609672012-03-15T08:37:03.560-04:002012-03-15T08:37:03.560-04:00Yes, that chase sequence is really something. It r...Yes, that chase sequence is really something. It reminds me, in its spartan, dusty aesthetic, of the similarly great end of <i>The Prowler</i> from a year later.Ed Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-17990000302699784452012-03-15T05:22:30.276-04:002012-03-15T05:22:30.276-04:00« but he uses this spartan aesthetic very effectiv...« but he uses this spartan aesthetic very effectively » <br /><br />Indeed. I haven't seen this film for a decade but I still remember the final chase . The dust, the rocks, the climbing, as if the whole world had turned against one man. There was something tragic - hence indeed something greek - about it.nem bajnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-40822477609033063762012-03-14T23:33:22.625-04:002012-03-14T23:33:22.625-04:00David, Losey's convictions are definitely admi...David, Losey's convictions are definitely admirable, and this film is very good evidence of his political interests.<br /><br />Sam, it's understandably not one to rush out and see, but it's still enjoyable and interesting, especially to fans of Losey. But he really started to get great with a few of his 1951 movies, especially <i>The Prowler</i> and <i>M</i>.Ed Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-21890969193439445962012-03-14T22:36:50.508-04:002012-03-14T22:36:50.508-04:00Ah, you've penned a review here Ed of one of t...Ah, you've penned a review here Ed of one of the very few Losey films I have not seen. With no legitimate DVD release, and no burning desire to invest in a bootie, I never got around to this. But I surely will soon enough. It's understandable why the performances would come off as amateurish and flat considering where the movie falls in Losey's filmmography, but it's far more Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-27210805329952868012012-03-14T17:59:56.360-04:002012-03-14T17:59:56.360-04:00In this instance "obviousness" is streng...In this instance "obviousness" is strength of character.<br /><br />Films like this are why HUAC went after him.DavidEhrensteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11016905507543736049noreply@blogger.com